MAMONA Patricia

General
VIRUS
She tested positive for the COVID-19 virus in January 2021 and was unable to train for two weeks. She recovered in time to compete at the 2021 European Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, where she won gold in women's triple jump. "The virus attacked my muscles and I had to rest in bed. I was in so much pain. I took some medication and thought that my season was over. I was afraid it could get much worse because it was getting worse each day. There were eight days like that. But once I noticed my breathing was getting better I only thought about coming back. I am very surprised about how everything turned out [winning gold in Torun]. It was a life lesson for me, in which the most important thing was to try until the end and never give up." (observador.pt, 07 Mar 2021)

HERITAGE
She was born in Portugal to Angolan parents. "All my family is from Angola. My parents emigrated to Portugal, where I was born, raised, and where I train now. The most important thing is that I grew up with Portuguese culture outside the house, but with the Angolan one inside. I love both countries but unfortunately I cannot represent both at the Olympic Games. Maybe in the future I could represent Angola." (F Luxury TV YouTube channel, 07 Aug 2019; vogue.pt, 26 Jul 2018)

FURTHER EDUCATION
She studied biomedical engineering at Lusophone University in Lisbon, Portugal. (rr.sapo.pt, 08 Mar 2017; ulusofona.pt, 01 Jun 2016; Athlete, 23 Jul 2021)

OTHER ROLES
She has taken part in photo shoots for a number of magazines in Portugal, and worked as a model at fashion shows. She has also anchored a television show in which she interviewed top athletes. In 2020 she was named deputy member of the Portuguese High Performances Athletes Association [AAACA]. (opraticante.pt, 15 Nov 2020; sabado.pt, 11 Apr 2018; naughtyboys.pt, 2017)